Thread: Restaurant Cover Charges (el cubierto)

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  1. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by BundaLover
    20 pesos? I almost created an international incident with a 9 peso cubierto. This is really interesting. I guess the market will determine if this continues. Why not 50 pesos? When does this end? Will the cubierto cost more than the food? What if one just wanted to have dessert there?
    What I have noticed is that if you tell them that you are not eating, and order a coffee or something, they do not change the cubierto. You can also order a dessert, side dish, like French fries or a sandwich with no cubierto.

    You have to tell them right away, I am not eating. If you order any of the main dishes on the menu, then they hit you with the cubierto. You know if you are going to be hit with the cubierto, when they bring you bread and side dishes.

    A 20-peso cubierto is really high. They must bring you some expensive side dishes for that price, or people will stop going.

  2. #33
    20 pesos? I almost created an international incident with a 9 peso cubierto. This is really interesting. I guess the market will determine if this continues. Why not 50 pesos? When does this end? Will the cubierto cost more than the food? What if one just wanted to have dessert there?

  3. #32
    Retired Member


    Posts: 2599
    Quote Originally Posted by Jackson
    Greetings Everyone,

    FYI, the cubierto at Cabaņa Las Lilas is now $20 fucking pesos a person.

    Cocksuckers!

    (Exon: Please note the correct usage of the word)

    Here's my accompanying post.

    http://www.argentinaprivate.com/foru...350#post381350

    Thanks,

    Jackson
    Jackson,

    Under that circumstance, which you describe above, the term "Dirty MotherFuckers" can also be used to denote that type of userious misconduct.

    Exon

  4. #31

    No cobramos cubierto

    Some people who work in my office have come up with a list showing most of the restaurants in microcentro that do not charge cubierto. With their meager salary, can't really blame them if they have resorted to coming up with such a list. Their rationale is that it all adds up since they eat their lunch everyday in restaurants. Come to think of it they have a point: AP 3 per day x 5 days X 4 weeks = P 60 which is the about the cost of two lunches or for me a half hour massage session.

    Che, Santi! Come here and give me a photocopy of that list.

  5. #30
    You can still find places that you can eat your fill for 20 pesos! Yep - Cocksuckers is the correct word.

  6. #29
    Administrator


    Posts: 2556

    Venues: 398
    Greetings Everyone,

    FYI, the cubierto at Cabaņa Las Lilas is now $20 fucking pesos a person.

    Cocksuckers!

    (Exon: Please note the correct usage of the word)

    Here's my accompanying post.

    http://www.argentinaprivate.com/foru...350#post381350

    Thanks,

    Jackson

  7. #28
    Senior Member


    Posts: 547
    Some private apartments will extra charge you for the condoms when you don't bring your own, used to be 1 peso each one, can we call it "servicio de cubierto" too?

  8. #27
    Administrator


    Posts: 2556

    Venues: 398
    Quote Originally Posted by BundaLover
    So if I understand the logic of the argument there should be a separate cubierto II for the electricity bill, the gas bill, the telephone bill as these items are not coverred by the food items or the cubierto.
    BundaLover,

    Once again I find myself defending the cubierto when I don't really favor the system, but in your example above you are confusing fixed costs with variable costs.

    The restaurant's utility bills are "fixed costs" that are going to be there and at approximately the same cost regardless of the number of customers they serve. This is the cost of opening the doors for business, and is an overhead expense which is recovered in the general markup of the food they serve.

    The costs covered by the cubierto (already enumerated herein) are not fixed costs, they are variable costs because they are directly related to the number of individual customers. This cost is recovered by the cubierto charge.

    Think of it like this: If they opened their doors for business and had no customers, they would still have utility bills, but they wouldn't have any costs for the things covered by the cubierto (already enumerated herein)

    One of the dynamics of the the information age is business's general trend towards revising their pricing structures by breaking down their costs and charging customers according to the services they've utilized. For example, 50 years ago banks didn't pay any interest on your funds, but they also didn't charge you to maintain a checking account. Now, with the capabilities afforded them by computerization, they now credit you with interest but also charge you for each check you write.

    One further note: In my examples of the variable costs which they are attempting to recover via the cubierto, I was very careful to state that the cubierto was for cleaning the silverware, plates, etc. and not for their original purchase, which would be a capitalized cost. I only make this point in response to your statement to the effect that you were not going to "pay" for the silverware. In fact, you are not paying them for the silverware, you are paying them for the cost of cleaning it after you are through with your meal. Of course, if you furnished your own napkins and silverware, then you would have the pleasure of cleaning them yourself.

    In the end, there are two observations:

    1. It's all about competition, and I applaude your initiative of avoiding places that charge a cubierto. Perhaps you will start a trend and turn the tide against the cubierto charge, which brings me to my second observation:

    2. All restaurants have these cubierto costs, and the customer is going to pay for these costs, one way or another.

    Thanks,

    Jackson

  9. #26
    Senior Member


    Posts: 547
    Bunda:

    I understand your point of view and it's valid, because the restaurant business core it's to put together the team skills, plus machines and goods to serve food; transform plain greens and meat into a nice dish, and of course, the silvery it's just another item. However, in Buenos Aires they will add this fee and the only way to avoid it it's not going no more to the restaurants. Lastnight I went to Cala pizza, and they charged me 2.50 for the servicio de mesa, and there was no bread, no table tray, but after all dinner was ok, and I know that if for any reason the servicio de mesa became forbidden, they would increase the food and the drinks prices.

  10. #25
    So the restaurant is training us to think that silverware is an extra?

    We are being brainwashed that this is extra?

    Funny how 300 million Americans and 250 million Brasilians can eat in restaurants without this advanced training shoved up our asses.

    Funny how Mexicans can live without this system. All those restraunt owners must be losing money.

    9 pesos at Caberra for NADA. You can buy a fucking complete lunch for 13 pesos!

  11. #24
    So if I understand the logic of the arguement there should be a separate cubierto II for the electricty bill, the gas bill, the telephone bill as these items are not coverred by the food items or the cubierto.

    I'm going to seek out places that have toilet paper dispensers with coin operation becuase I feel so fucking guilty. Hey I bet the fucking restraunts owners feel really really guilty about 200% mark-up on beer and wine.

    I'll bring my own nakins tableware next trip and tell them there can't be any cubierto as I brought my own. I'll make a little paper plate and plastic silverware kit. I'm going to go around the restraunt and give them away. Then when someone enters and sit down I'll give then a kit too. Maybe we can start a silverware business here. Get cute girls to sell the set up in all the restraunts? After all its an optional item. Better yet. Serve it without the plate. Just dump it on the table and I'll use my plastic silverware.

    I swear I'm not going to pay any more fucking bullshit fees.

    ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Amazing there wasnt any cubierto back in 2004, 2005 except when they actually served some stale bread. I guess these items were 'free' then but suddenly they are not 'free'?

  12. #23
    Cubierto was never meant as a tip system. It has always been as Jackson says to cover the costs of what's on the table. Cubierto means silverware. It had been dropped for many years but it seems now as the restaurants are full once again it has made a reappearance. (Kill the goose of the golden egg)

    What Cesar meant by the tip system incorporated during the Peron government was "Laudo" this was a percentage added to the bill so that the tips were evenly distributed amongst waiters, dishwashers, maids at hotels, etc etc etc. This was discontinued in the late 60's early 70's where the restaurants would have big signs saying "Laudo No Incluido" which meant you had to tip the waiter individually.

  13. #22
    Administrator


    Posts: 2556

    Venues: 398
    Quote Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
    The cubierto is not a tip. It covers the bread or other snacks on the table.
    And the cleaning of the silverware, plates, glasses, tablecloths, napkins, plus the purchase of items like salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, toothpicks and other costs incurred by you using table space and for which they recover by charging a flat fee, said costs being independent of the costs of buying, cooking and serving food and drinks, for which they charge you separately as itemized on the menu.

    Thanks,

    Jackson

  14. #21

    TipTop

    Artisttyp, the cubierto is not a tip, the guy was right. Please see earlier in this thread - it is ok to leave a tip, but not the amount you are used to from the states.

    And if a waiter behaves like that, I think the best would be to leave the place, maybe after giving a hint to the owner.

  15. #20
    The cubierto is not a tip. It covers the bread or other snacks on the table.

    Quote Originally Posted by Artisttyp
    Do most of you leave a tip on top of the cubierto? I usually leave a little over a dollar for good service (mid range cafe)

    I ate at quite a few places in the centro that did not charge a cubierto. Once you get near the triangle they get harder to find.

    I had one waiter drill me about cubierto not being a tip before I even sat down. He pissed me off so much all I left him was the cubierto. Otherwise I am happy to leave a tip.

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